Show-case.



A. JOHNSUN. SHOW CASE. APPLIUATION FILED M1119, 1909.

Patented N ov. 16, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

aff/ A. JOHNSON.

SHOW CASE.

APPLIcATIoN FILED MAR. ze, 190e.

Patented Nov. 16, 1909. a SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A. JOHNSON.

SHOW OASE.

.ARPLIOATIO'N FILED MAR. 29, 1909. 940,251 Patented Nov. 16,1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' UNITED sTATEs PATENT OEEIOE.

ARVID JOHNSON, OF NORTH BEND, OREGON.

SHOW-CASE.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARVID JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at North .Bench in the county of Coos and State of Oregon, have invented a new and useful Show-Case, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to that class of show cases having plate glass walls, and the object of the present invention is to provide improved means for fastening said walls together, a set of clamping members being provided which are simple in structure, and which can be readily applied, thus enabling the case to be easily and quickly assembled.

The invention also has for its object to provide clamping members which can be adjusted for diiferent widths of glass, and also bent to any angle to fit the corner of the case, which enables said clamping members to be applied to cases of different shapes or designs.

With the foregoing objects in view the invention consists in a novel construction and arrangement of parts, to be hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the drawings hereto annexed, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view, partly in section, of a show case constructed in accordance with the present invention: Fig. 2 is a front elevation: Fig. 3 is a rear elevation: Fig. 4 is a side view: Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3: Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional detail, on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1: Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional detail, on the line 7 7 of Fig. 3: Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional detail, on the line 8 8 of Fig. 3: Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional detail, on the line 9 9 of Fig. 3: Fig. 10 is a front elevation of the clamping member shown in Fig. 9.: Fig. 11 is an enlarged sectional detail on the line 11 11 of Fig. 4: Figs. 12, 13 and 14 are perspective views of the clamping members, detached: Fig. 15 is a sectional detail of a modification. Fig. 16 is an enlarged sectional detail on the line 16-16 of Fig. 4. Fig. 17 is a modified form of top and corner clamp. Fig. 18 is a plan view of the blank forming the last mentioned clamp. Fig. 19 is a plan view showing` the application of the said clamp.

The show case illustrated in the drawings has a plate glass front wall 1, side walls 2,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application le'd March 29, 1909.

Patented Nov. 16, 1909.

Serial No. 486,409.

and a top 8, and its rear wall is fitted with a pair of sliding doors, which are also made of plate glass.

The side and end walls are supported on base strips 5, said strips being provided with rabbets 6, in which said walls are set. The floor 7 of the case is also supported on the rabbets 6, and fits, at its front and side edges, against the glass forming the front and side walls of the case, thereby serving to hold the lower ends thereof in place in the rabbets of the base strips.

The rear wallv of the case comprises end strips 8, and top and bottom strips 9 and 10 respectively. The end strips have rabbets 11 to receive the rear edges of the side walls 2, and strips 12 secured to the inner faces of said rabbeted strips, and fitting on the inner surface of that portion of the side walls 2 located within the rabbets, secure said walls in place therein. The top strips and the upper ends of the end strips extend flush with the upper edges of the side walls, and the top 3 of the case fits thereon.

The top 3 is secured, at its rear end, by a pair of hook-shaped clamps 13, engageable over said edge. Each Of said clamps is slidably mounted in a mortise 14, made in the top of the strip 9, and the inner end of the clamp has a downward bend 14, provided with a threaded opening to receive an adjusting screw 15, which asses through the strip 9 from the inner face thereof. The clamp is supported in a guide-way 16, formed on a plate 17, seating in the mortise 14. By means of the screw 15 the clamp can be tightly engaged over the rear edge of the top, and also released therefrom, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 9. By having the screws 15 on the inside of the case, they are thus rendered inaccessible, so that the top of the case cannot be removed until the doors, to be presently described, are first unlocked.

The upper ends of the front and side walls are connected by clamps, which also serve to fasten the top of the case in place, said top being also formed of plate glass and tting on the Lipper edges of said walls. The clamps referred to comprise outer angular strips 18, fitting over theouter corners of the front and side walls adjacent to the topedges thereof, and inner angular strips 19, fitting said corners on the inside of the case.

Between these inner and outer strips the front and side walls are held, lsaid walls being clamped between the strips by screws 20, passing through slots 21 in that portion of the strips fitting on the side walls, and holes in said side walls, and screwed intoVA a threaded hole 22 in that portion of the inner strips 19'tting said side walls. A similar connection is provided for that portion of the inner and outer strips which engage the front wall ofthe case. The purpose of the slots 21 is to enable the strips to be adjusted to glass of different thickness. The strips are flexible, and may be bent to any angle, and thus applied to show eases of different shapes.

Each branch of the strips 19 has flanges 23 bent laterally at right angles from the top edges of said strips, and resting on the top edges of the front and side walls respectively. The top of the case is held in place Y by hooks 24 projecting from the upper edges of both branches of the strips, and engaging respectively over the front and side edges of said top. The top is also further secured at its front edge by a channel-shaped member 25, engageable over the top edge of the front wall. The flange 26 of said member on the inside of the case is cut intermediate its ends and bent outwardly to form a pair of ears 27, having perforations 28 for a purpose to be presently described. The flange 29 of the member engaging the outer surface of the front wall is cut away intermediate its ends, and from said cut out portion a hook 29 extends over the front edge of the top. At the ends of the strips 19 are outwardly pre-- sented ears 30 and 31 respectively, provided with perforations 32, said perforations being in the same horizontal plane as the perforations 28. At the corner of each strip 19 is an ear 33, having a perforation 34. The

perforations 28 and 30 are horizontally disposed, and the perforations 34 vertically.

The object of the hereindescribed perforations is to provide connections for a tie wire 35, which is connected at each end to a screw 36, screwed into the strips 12, near their upper ends, said screw entering each strip from its inner face, said face being mortisedl to receive the head and a portion of the shank of said screw. The ends of the wire extend through holes in the strips to the inortise, and are connected to the projecting shank of the screw in any suitable manner.

The two ends of the wire extend from the Y screws 36 to the ears 31 and pass through the perforations 32 thereof, and thence extend to the ears 33, through the perforations 34 of. which the wire is extended in loops 37 to the licor 7 of the case, said looped portions of the wire being fastened to screws 38, screwed into said oor. A hole is bored through the screw to receive the wire. From the loops the wire extends along the front wall of the case adjacent to the top thereof, and passes through the perforations 28 and 32.

The function of the wire 35 is to securely| hold the parts together, the slack in the wire being taken up by twisting the looped portions 37 thereof. The twist is made by turning the screws 38. When this is done, the

l wire is tightened, which draws the parts to gether and holds them firm and rigid.

` 'In the moditicationshown in Fig. 15, the

looped portions 37 of the wire 35 pass through an opening 39 in the floor of the case, and are connected to the screws 38, which, in this instance, are screwed into the end strips 5 of the case. V'Ihe screws operate in the same manner as before.

The end, top and bottom strips of the rear wall of the case form a door-way, in which is mounted a pair of sliding doors 40, said doors being also formed of plate glass. The bottoms of the doors are faced with metallic strips 41, between which are mounted antifrietion rollers 42, which travel on a track 43, mounted on the strip 10. The strips 12 are grooved to receive the edges of the doors, and, in said grooves are mounted cushioning strips 44, engageable by the doors, whereby they are prevented from being damaged when thrown open too forcibly. The strips 9, 10 and 12, forming the door frame are also fitted with parting strips 45, to prevent the doors from rubbing. The doors are provided with a lock, said locks havingtwo bolts 46, which are adapted to be extended respectively in front of the outer edges of the doors.

It will be seen, from the foregoing, that I have provided a show case which is strong `and rigid, and the various parts of which,by

reason of the clamping members described, may be quickly and easily assembled. The clamping members can also be cheaply and easily manufactured, the ones shown in Figs. 12, 13 and 14 being formed of a single piece of metal, stamped out and bent to the required shape. IVhere the various glass walls meet suitable packing strips are inter-k posed, and said strips are also interposed between the clamps and said walls, as well as between the metallic plates connected'to the doors.

In Figs. 17, 18 and 19 is shown a modified form of top and corner clamp. In this form of clamp the inner angular strips 19 are dispensed with, and a single clamping member is provided, said member being indicated at 47 and comprising an angular strip fitting the front and side walls at the corners thereof in the same manner as the strips 18. Each branch of the strip 47 has at its end a hook 48 projecting from its upper edge, and engaging respectively over the top edges of the front and side walls of the case, and that branch of the strip 47 which fits against the front wall is also formed with a hook 49 which engages over the top edge of the front wall. Those portions of the hooks 48 and 49 which engage the-inner surfaces of the front and side walls, are formed with ears, the ears of the hook 48 being indicated at 5C and the ear of the hook 49 at 51. rllhese ears are perforated to receive the tie wire 35 operating in the manner already described. Projecting outwardly from the two branches of the strips 47 are hooks 52. These last-mentioned hooks project outwardly sufficiently to engage respectively, over the front and side edges of the top of the case, whereby the same is held to the front and side walls. The clamping member 4T is also formed of a single piece of metal, which is stamped out and bent to the required shape. The blank forming this member is shown in Fig. 18.

What is claimed is 1. A corner and top clamp for show cases comprising angular strips fitting the corners of the case on the inside and the out.- side, the outer strips having hooks engageable over the edge of the top of the case. and the inner strips having flanges engageable with the upper edges of the front and side walls of the case, and a connection between said strips passing through said walls.

2. A corner and top clamp for show cases comprising angular strips fitting the corners of the case, on the inside and the outside, the outer strips being slotted and having hooks engageable over the edge of the top of the case, and the inner strips having flanges engageable with the upper edges of the front and side walls of the case, and a connection between said strips passing through said walls and the slots of the outer strips.

3. In a show case, a corner and top clamp having hooks engageable over the edge of the top of the case, and over the upper edges of the front and side walls, said clamp also having an aperture, and a tie wire connected at its ends to the rear wall of the case, and looped intermediate its ends, said looped portions passing through the aperture of the clamp, and extending downwardly therefrom, and fastened to the bottom of the case.

4. In a show case, corner and top clamps comprising angular strips fitting the corners of the case on the inside and outside thereof, the outer strips having hooks engageable over the edge of the top of the case, and the inner strips having flanges engageable with the upper edges of the front and side walls of the case, a connection between said strips passing through said walls, and a tie wire connected at its ends to the rear wall of the case, and intermediate of its ends to the inner strips, said wire being also looped interminate its ends, and said looped portions extending down to and being fastened vto the bottom of the case.

5. In a show case, corner and top clamps comprising angular strips fitting the corners of the case on the inside and outside, the outer strips having hooks engageable over the edge of the top of the case, and the inner strips having flanges engageable with the upper edges of the front and side walls of the case, a connection between the strips passing through said walls, perforated ears on the inner strips, and a tie wire, connected at its ends to the rear wall of the case, and passing intermediate of its ends through the perforations of the ears, said wire being also looped intermediate of its ends, and said looped portions extending down to and being fastened to the bottom of the case.

6. In a show case, corner and top clamps comprising angular strips fitting the corners of the case on the inside and the outside, the outer strips having hooks engageable over the edge of the top of the case, and the inner strips having flanges engageable with the upper edges of the front and side walls of the case, a connection between the strips passing through said walls, perforated ears at the corners of the inner strips, and a tie wire, connected at its ends to the rear wall of the case, and intermediate of its ends passing through the perforations of the ears in the form of a loop, said looped ends of the wire extending down to and being fastened to the bottom of the case.

7. In a show case, corner and top clamps for connecting the front and side walls of the case, said clamps comprising inner and outer members, and a tie wire, connected at its ends to the rear wall of the case, and intermediate of its ends to the inner clamping member, said wire being also looped intermediate of its ends, and said looped portions extending down to and being fastened to the bottom of the case.

8. In a show case, corner and top clamps comprising angular strips fitting the corners of the case on the inside and the outside, and a tie wire, connected at its ends to the rear wall of the case, adjacent the top thereof, and passing along the side and end walls of the case, and connected to the inner strips, said wire being looped at the corner of the casing, andI said looped portions of the wire extending down to and being fastened to the bottom of the case. i

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aiiixed my signa,

ture in the presence of two witnesses.

ARVID JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

F. E. GLAZIER, R. C. HOHNER. 

